


A Dark Night In the Capitol

by Plumetta



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 14:18:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1651697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plumetta/pseuds/Plumetta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was a prompt request for a little Hailey saves the day story.  She's out on the town with Mommy and Aunt Ellie.  Wackiness ensues.  Thanks  Mac-reye for the suggestion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Dark Night In the Capitol

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mac-reye](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mac-reye).



> I do not own anything the universe belongs to Suzanne Collins

Effie and Hailey arrived at Aunt Ellie’s apartment.

“Now Honey, remember to be on your best behavior at the art show tonight.

“Mommy, I like museums and artwork. I’m eight years old. I’m not a baby.”

‘Yes, but…you’ve never been to a gallery showing before. It’s a lot of adults drinking too much wine and bragging about how many “masterpieces” they own.

“It’s not polite to show off how much money you have. Hailey said seriously. “Daddy hates that.’

‘I know and if Daddy didn’t have to do interviews for Plutarch you’d be able to say with him tonight. It’s just…I’m worried this is going to be boring for you. I just didn’t like that sitter the hotel sent over.

“Mommy, did you fire her because she was drunk? Hailey asked.

Effie suspected where this was going. “Yes.”

“Sometimes Daddy is drunk.

“Hailey, your father is never drunk when he knows he’s going to be alone with you. Never and if he….has to have more than one drink when he’s in charge he always calls Aunt Katniss or Uncle Peeta over. If he came home from his interviews and found a sitter with liquor on her breath he would be furious. Now what are you going to do if you get too bored? 

‘I will tell you I want to go to the ladies lounge. You’ll sit me down on the couch in there and I can play with the handheld game I have in my purse.

‘Right but on mute. Then I’ll make our excuses and have us home in a half hour. 

Effie rang her sister’s doorbell. Ellie opened the door and frowned when she saw Hailey was there.

‘Effie…..she can’t come. It’s invitation only.

“I was invited with a plus one. Effie said. “Haymitch isn’t coming so…..

“Why didn’t you leave her with a sitter?

“The sitter was incapacitated.

“She was drunk Aunt Ellie.

‘Effie, the child must be used to that.

“I’m bringing her and that’s final, unless you want to have Anna babysit.

“My daughter does not “babysit” besides she’s out on a date.

“On a date? Hailey asked. “She’s only thirteen.

“That’s old enough.” Ellie said. “The young man is eighteen.

Hailey‘s eyes widened. “Daddy won’t let me date until I’m sixteen and he probably won’t let me date someone old enough to be out of school.

“Your father is socially backward and he wants you to be the same. Ellie said ‘I hope your mother can save you.

“Ellie, I don’t want to discuss child rearing. Let’s just go to the gallery.

They rode in the taxi in total silence. When they reached their destination they got into an elevator with two other people. Ellie was claustrophobic and let many crowded ones go by. The elevator slowly edged up ten floors when it stopped suddenly and the lights went out. Several people screamed including Aunt Ellie. Effie said.

“It’s probably just a power outage. We have them in District 12.

A man‘s voice spoke. “Madam, this is not District 12. If the power is out we’re under attack and we’re all going to die.

Hailey said. “Someone push the emergency button.

“What is that child babbling about? An elderly woman said.

“Daddy told me that elevators in the Capitol have an emergency button in case something goes wrong. Like on the trains.

“Hailey, be quiet. Ellie snapped. Even if you’re right we can’t see the emergency button with no lights.

Hailey opened her purse and a little light came shining out.

“Stop trying to blind us.” The old lady yelled.

“Sorry. Hailey said. “It’s a mini flashlight. Aunt Katniss gave it to me in case we ever got separated in the woods. She shone the light on the panel and Effie saw the emergency button. She pressed it and it connected her to the security guard downstairs. “The elevator is stuck on the way to the Penthouse.

“Which elevator Ma’am? There’s been a power outage. We don’t know how many people are stuck, you’re the first one to call.

Effie said. “I don’t know which elevator…

Hailey said. “Elevator 10 Mommy.

“Are you sure?

Hailey nodded. “I looked before we got on.

Effie told the guard Elevator 10.

“Why would you do that? Ellie asked.

‘”Because I want to walk to Daisy’s house by myself.

“Your child is insane. The man said.

Hailey was getting annoyed. ‘No I’m not. Most of the kids in my class are allowed to walk to a friend’s house if they live close by. I asked Daddy and he said I could do it only when I could tell him how many blocks, if I turned right or left and the house number. Daddy says you should always be aware of your surroundings. I know to go to the bakery, you turn right at the end of the Victor’s Village and walk four blocks and then turn left one block. If you want to go to the woods you turn left and walk a half mile and then turn right at the goat man’s shack. But Daddy still won’t let me go to the woods by myself even though I know how to do it.

Effie said. “Sweetheart, there are animals and…

“Effie keep her quiet.” Ellie said. ‘She’s using up the air. I can’t stand closed spaces.

“Neither can I. The man said. “We’re all going to die.

Effie pushed the emergency button again and asked how long would it take till they got out.

‘I don’t know Ma’am. They have to figure out what floor you’re on so they can manually open the doors and lift you out.

“How will they do that? Effie asked.

“The workman will stop on every floor and yell.

Effie let go of the button. Well’ that’s that.

Ellie was breathing heavily. “We’re going to run out of air.

Hailey shined her light to the top of the elevator. She saw something that looked like the air conditioning vent in the hotel room. “Mommy, maybe if that comes off we could get more fresh air. 

The tall man tried to push it off but he yelled. “It’s fastened in…..we’re going to die in here.

Hailey shined the flashlight into her purse to look for something. Daddy told her smart people don’t panic. Unless you’re in an arena there’s almost always a way out of a dangerous place. She found what she was looking for and pulled out a mini screwdriver. “I found it.”

Ellie screamed. “My God! She has a knife like her crazy father.

Effie glared at her sister and said. “What is that Hailey?

“It came with my toy. Daddy said it’s called a screwdriver. You have to unscrew the back to put the batteries in. I thought my battery might die so I put it in my purse with a spare battery. She handed it to the man. “Try it, if it comes off it won’t be so hot in here.

“ I don’t do menial labor Young Lady.

“What’s menial? Hailey asked.

Ellie answered. “Common work like cleaning the streets, servers, repairmen.

“I would try, but I‘m too little to reach it.. Hailey said. 

“Obviously your father is raising you to be common. The old woman said. “Since that’s the case why doesn’t someone pick her up so she can do her “menial” tasks.

“Do you want to try Hailey? Effie asked.

Hailey wasn’t sure she’d be strong enough but Daddy said only stupid people didn’t try to help themselves. Mommy told her the reason Daddy became a Victor was because he was smarter than the other kids. Mommy also said you don't know if you can do something unless you try.

“Okay.

“How do you know how to use that? Effie asked.

Daddy showed me.. He said he is sick and tired of changing batteries. He’s changed more batteries than he did diapers.

Effie laughed. “That’s probably true. Effie turned to the man. Can you pick her up and put her on your shoulders?

“No. I don’t do menial tasks.

Ellie was starting to feel claustrophobic. ‘Look, you’re in here with Haymitch Abernathy’s kid. She could go psycho on you any minute. 

Effie said sharply. “Ellie, that’s just not true.”

“Effie she looks just like him. You can’t deny it.

“Ellie, she will not go “psycho”.

The man was getting nervous, he didn’t like being in the elevator with the “revolutionary”

The man picked Hailey up. Ellie held the flashlight for her and Effie held on to Hailey’s feet because she didn’t trust this man to catch her baby if she lost her balance.

Hailey was looking for screws when she saw a latch like in the window screens in the hotel room. Daddy likes fresh air….well as fresh as it could be in the Capitol. He opened all the windows at night. She had seen him use that latch. She imitated him and the vent popped open. Immediately the stuffy air in the elevator started to rise. Aunt Ellie moved right under the vent and started to take deep breaths.

Hailey was about to ask to be put on the floor when she heard voices.

“Hey, we’re stuck in the elevator.

A man’s voice said. ‘Keep talking so we can tell if you’re closer to ten or eleven.

Hailey kept talking and she saw the doors open a couple of feet above the elevator. The workman stepped in on a narrow ledge and latched on. He told Hailey to give him her hands. He pulled her out but as she went up the shaft some dust and dirt fell into the open vent and she heard her Aunt Ellie scream. When she got on the tenth floor she said. “Four grownups are in there. My Mommy, my Aunt and two other people.

The workman continued to help everyone else out. The supervisor asked Hailey. “How did you get the vent open?

“I saw the latch like the windows.

“How did you see it with the lights out?

“I have a flashlight in my purse.

“You’re a very clever girl.

Hailey smiled. Daddy always told her she was very pretty but it was more important to be smart. ‘Thank you.

Aunt Ellie was the last person they got out. As soon as they closed the elevator door, the lights came on. Ellie saw herself in the mirror. Her wig was ruined, there was dust all over her clothes. Her makeup was smudged. Ellie stormed over to Hailey.

“Look at this! It’s all your fault! You knocked dirt on me when they pulled you out. 

“I didn’t mean it Aunt Ellie.

“Ma’am we were able to get you out because we heard her. The power has been cut to the elevator shaft. It will take hours to get everyone else out . We have to go floor to floor and check all ten elevators. You might not have gotten out until morning.

Ellie wasn’t listening to them she just kept yelling at Hailey. “You are a barbarian. I’m going to tell your father you did this on purpose.

Effie came over. “Ellie, calm down. You’re over-reacting. Haymitch will pay to replace your clothes.

‘I want her punished.

Effie folded her arms. ‘For what? For telling us about the emergency button? For having a flash light? For figuring out how to open the vent so we could get fresh air and could be heard. “That’s ridiculous.

“My daughter wouldn’t have done anything but cry in the corner. If she had behaved like a “normal” person we would have been rescued like everyone else and still been clean. I am going to call your father. He’s always calling Capitol children brats. Hopefully he’ll warm your backside instead of criticizing my parenting.

Hailey folded her little arms in a perfect imitation of Effie. ‘Call Daddy. He’s at the TV station. I’m sure when Mr. Heavensbee hears what happened he’ll send a camera crew over to interview everyone. You’ll be on the news.

Ellie gasped at the thought of people seeing her in this disheveled state. Effie smiled. ‘You’re probably right dear. Perhaps we should call your father and let him know what happened.

Ellie glared at her sister. ‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll just send him the bill.

Effie grinned. ‘That’s probably best. Hailey would you like to take the stairs down and just go back to the hotel.

“Yes Mommy.

“Ellie are you coming with us?

‘No. I’m not climbing down all those stairs. I’ll wait for the elevator.

Effie shrugged. “Hailey, say goodnight to your Aunt.

Ellie leaned down to give her an “air” kiss. Hailey knew it was a little naughty but she whispered. “You’re welcome Aunt Ellie. 

“For what?

“I was happy to help rescue you.. You don’t have to thank me.

She skipped across the room to her mother. Even if Aunt Ellie said she was rude, she was pretty sure her parents would let it slide…..just this once.


End file.
